Do I Have to Pick Just One? (a McRoll in the REAL World story)
by sammy1026
Summary: Carrie meets with the adoption caseworker and Catherine has a standoff with Angie that leads to an unexpected result.


_Mari & Ilna-you guys are the absolute best! Thank you for everything! _

_REAL Worlders-you guys are awesome. Thanks for all the support and encouragement._

* * *

**Do I Have to Pick Just One? (1/1)**

"Thanks for meeting me here," Carrie said as she ushered Estella Longo into her office. "My day kind of went sideways and getting out of the building is just not going to be an option today."

She indicated the visitors' chairs opposite her desk and Estella took a seat and said, "We can reschedule for another day if that would be easier."

"No, it's fine." Carrie sat down in the chair next to the adoption caseworker. She was eager to make a connection with the woman and thought this arrangement would be much less formal than her sitting behind her desk. "A lot of hurry up and wait but I need to be in the building just in case."

"Well, if for any reason you need to cut this interview short just let me know. We can reschedule for a more convenient time." Estella pulled her ever present legal pad from her tote bag."I'd like to take a slightly different tack with your interview if that's ok," she said. "When it comes to Commander McGarrett and Lieutenant Rollins I think I've got a pretty solid picture of their education and work backgrounds, their financial histories, their medical records … all the things that can be quantified and put on paper."

Carrie grinned. "They're pretty impressive, aren't they?"

"They are indeed," Estella agreed. "So why don't you tell me what doesn't show up on paper. Talk to me about the intangibles. You've known both the commander and lieutenant for a long time, right?"

Carrie smiled. "A very long time. I met Catherine our first day at the academy and Steve just a short time later."

Estella settled back in her chair. "Tell me about the people you know beyond the list of accomplishments. What are their best qualities?"

Do I have to pick just one best quality for each?" Carrie teased. "Ok, I'll start with Catherine." Her eyes sparkled. She relished the chance to talk up her best friend. "Without question her best quality is that she sincerely wants to lift up and support everyone around her and help them maximize their potential. She has this way of letting you know she believes in you that is like a … I don't know how to describe it exactly … like a shot of confidence straight to your central nervous system. She makes people around her believe in themselves by virtue of how completely she believes in them."

Estella made a few notes.

"I remember our first year at the academy, we were both super focused on being at the top of our class. There were a lot of men back then who still believed women shouldn't be admitted to the academy. Sad to say there are still a few aeround. Anyway, I wanted to prove them all wrong so bad. Catherine used to tell me not to get over focused on beating the boys. Just to concentrate on being the very best I could possibly be, and the rest would take care of itself."

"Good advice," Estella said.

"We were roomies and fast friends but even so we were both competing to get the best grades and to top the physical training lists." Carrie smiled at the memory. "When the scores came out at the end of our first year, we were both in the top 5% but I was two slots above her. And you know what? She was genuinely happy for me. Like really excited. She said she'd done her best and I'd beat her fair and square and she took me out to a big celebration dinner the first night of break."

"Sounds like a good friend." Estella made a few more notes.

"The best." Carrie grinned. "Of course, it ended up stoking her competitive fires and she beat me by a few slots every year after that. But still I can't tell you how many times in my life I've remembered that moment and her genuine happiness for me." She picked up the paperweight from her desk and showed the engraving to Estella. _'Supporting another's success won't ever dampen yours.' _"Catherine taught me that."

Estella examined the well-worn object. "That's a great lesson."

"Catherine spent her entire naval career in country and on carriers where the competition to get the best assignments and get promotions can be cutthroat and where women are too often marginalized. But she never gave in. Never once. She stuck to her principles and she succeeded. As did a lot of people around her thanks to her hard work."

"And now she's working in politics which can be its own ocean full of sharks," Estella chuckled.

"You should really meet with her two deputy chiefs of staff. They'll both tell you how hard Catherine has worked to help them get ahead and get the credit they deserve," Carrie suggested.

"I'll do that." Estella made a note on her legal pad. "What about Commander McGarrett? What's his best quality?"

Carrie smiled brightly. "Steve was an enigma to most of us in our academy days. He'd clearly had a rough go of things in his family life. He was … hard to get to know I guess is the best way to describe it. He was always friendly enough and we all liked hanging out with him, but you just got the feeling that you could never get too deep. Never know the real Steve. But …" Carrie stopped to consider her next words and got lost in a memory.

"But …?" Estella prompted.

"But Catherine never had any problem seeing the real Steve. The man underneath all that pain and isolation." Carrie paused, this time for just a second. "I think Steve McGarrett's best trait is that no matter what, he never stops trying to be a better man. A lot of guys in his position would think they've reached the pinnacle and there's no need to change anything. But Steve's not like that. He's constantly reevaluating every part of his life and looking for things he can do better. And that makes the people around him want to do the same thing. I like to tease him a lot, it's part of our dynamic since day one, but he's a hell of a role model and spectacular husband and father."

Estella took note of the absolute sincerity of Carrie's words.

"There's no question Catherine has helped him become a better man, he'll be the first one to tell you that, but the truth is it would never have happened if he wasn't willing to change. Not only now, but back when they first met. You should talk to my husband, John. He was there from the start as well."

"I think I'll do that. That reminds me," Estella flipped back a few pages on her tablet, "Detective Williams told me to make sure to ask you about the 'toe scuffing and the mooney eyes'."

Carrie barked a laugh. "You are gonna love this part."

* * *

Carrie pulled into the driveway at the beach house just as Steve was getting out of his truck.

"What's up, Stagler?"

"Nothing much," she grinned. "I just came over to tell you how much Estella Longo enjoyed the story of your mooney eyes."

Steve dropped his chin to his chest.

"Relax." Carrie poked him in the ribs. "She clearly thinks you two are awesome. I just gave her some details of your somewhat unconventional path to love. She thought it was a …"

"Don't say it!" Steve warned.

"Adorable!" Carrie said in a sing-song voice as they reached the front door.

They stepped inside to find Angie sitting in the middle of the floor, a scowl firmly in place, Cammie laying at her side. Catherine was sitting on the couch folding laundry. "They're both angry with me," she explained as Angie jumped up and made a beeline for her father.

"Ahhh bahhh deee iice no baa dee Camm-ee," she said as he lifted her up and kissed her cheek. "Daddy bbaah ah deee." She turned and scowled at Catherine then looked at Carrie.

"Re-Re he'we daddy." She held out her arms and when Carrie took her from her father she immediately continued her story. "Baaah ahhh eeee no no no iiice Cammee!"

Steve leaned over to kiss Catherine. "Should I even ask?"

He could tell Catherine was fighting a smile.

"Angie, can you please play with your blocks for a few minutes so Mommy can talk to Daddy and Aunt Carrie?" Catherine asked.

Angie looked at her mother, her scowl lessened slightly, then squirmed to get down. Cammie followed her to the middle of the carpet and they both took their earlier places. Catherine stood up and faced Steve and Carrie with her back to the living room.

"We were in the kitchen a while ago …" she kept her voice low, "and I put some ice in a glass for iced tea. Angie and Cammie were sitting on the floor playing with measuring cups and spoons and I was cutting vegetables for salad. All of the sudden I looked up and Cammie was laying in front of the refrigerator. Angie climbed on her back and reached up and pressed the ice lever. Needless to say, Cammie was thrilled when crunchy treats came raining down on her head."

Steve and Carrie both noticed Angie was watching them so kept their expressions as neutral as possible.

"I got her down, picked up the ice then explained to her that she couldn't stand on Cammie because we don't want Cammie getting hurt."

At this point Catherine's smile began to grow.

"I went back to chopping vegetables and a few minutes later I saw her dragging the little stool we use to help Kaitlyn reach the counter when she's baking over to the refrigerator. I know I should have stopped her as soon as she started but … come on … that's some pretty advanced problem solving for a two-year old. She got the stool in place, held onto Cammie to steady herself, then climbed up and hit the lever again."

Carrie covered a laugh with a cough.

"So, I relocated them both to the living room and they spent five minutes scowling at me until you guys got here."

Steve was practically beaming with pride. "Obviously we can't have her spilling ice on the floor or standing on Cammie, but she gets an A for strategizing."

"I know." Catherine smiled.

Carrie grinned. "You two are in for a world of trouble."

"I think it's great that she's noticing how things work and she wants to explore different textures and temperatures," Steve said.

"Plus get Cammie unlimited treats," Catherine added. "She just needs to go about it the right way." She thought for a second then turned to face Angie. "Sweetie, how about if mommy gets you some ice in a bowl and you can take it out on the deck and play with Cammie?"

Angie clapped her hands and headed for the kitchen. "Ahh bahh go Cammie!" Her earlier scowl all but forgotten.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Steve, Catherine and Carrie sat on the deck watching Angie and Cammie play with ice cubes as Carrie recounted the details of her interview with Estella Longo. Steve and Carrie were side by side on one of the table benches while Catherine sat in a chair across from them.

"She seemed to especially like the part about all the excuses you guys came up with why you couldn't be fixed up with anyone else even though you claimed to be 'just friends'," Carrie said using air quotes. "I think she liked me. She said I tell a good story."

Steve shook his head.

"Oh, don't worry." Carrie elbowed him playfully. "She clearly thinks the two of you are awesome."

"Thanks," Catherine said. "I appreciate you being a reference for us. We want this so badly."

Carrie gave her best friend a long-distance fist bump. "I was happy to help but trust me, you two got this all on your own."

Angie stood up and toddled towards the bench with an ice cube in each hand.

"Bah aaah iiice, Re-re!" She dropped one cube in Carrie's outstretched hand then turned to her father. "Iiiice Dad-dy!"

"That's awesome, sweetie. It's very cold." He touched the cube to the end of Angie's nose causing her to squeal and run away. She went to her bowl and got two more cubes. She toddled over and stood in front of Catherine.

"Iiiice, Mommy!"

Catherine froze.

Angie held out both hands and looked at her mother expectantly. Catherine held out both of her own hands and took the offered items. "Thank you, sweetie!"

She looked at Steve for confirmation. "Did she just say what I think she said?"

"Wow!" Carrie grinned. "Mommy rates. She got two."

"Angie." Steve called her name and his daughter turned to look at him. "Who's that?" He pointed to Catherine.

Angie grinned ear to ear. "Mommy!"

She wrapped her little arms around Catherine's legs and rested her head in her mother's lap. Catherine's eyes dampened as she looked at her husband and her best friend. She shook her head slightly as though she felt silly.

It was just a word.

Mommy.

But she had to be honest with herself, she'd been really eager to hear it. It symbolized Angie moving from the babble speak of her babyhood to more conscious choices about words.

She beamed at Steve who beamed back. He'd been trying to coach Angie to say mommy ever since she started saying daddy. But like all things in his daughter's life, she had her own schedule for that too.

Catherine leaned over and kissed the back of Angie's head. They shared a few whispered words then Catherine tickled her and lifted her into a tight hug.

"Wuv oo, Mommy!"

"I love you too, baby! Forever and always."

**THE END**

* * *

_Find all our stories (in chronological order!) on our website: marirealmcroll dot wixsite dot com backslash real-mcroll_

_Or in the McRoll in the REAL World community here on fanfiction dot net Find us on Tumblr: mcrollintherealworld dot tumblr dot com_

_You can join our mailing list by emailing us realmcroll at yahoo dot com with: Add me, please! in the subject line. Or just drop us a line to say hi! We love hearing from our readers._


End file.
